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The world’s third largest democracy is facing a protracted crisis after both
candidates in Indonesia’s tense presidential election claimed victory today,
despite results indicating a narrow defeat for a controversial former
general.

Prabowo Subianto, who is accused of ordering kidnappings and torture under
Indonesia’s former dictatorship, refused to acknowledge victory for his
opponent, the governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo. Mr Subianto promised to
“uphold the truth” and threatened a legal challenge to the result, raising
fears of interference with the vote count.

Sampling from 480,000 polling stations across the enormous country suggested
that Mr Widodo, a down-to-earth businessman with a